You might think a mooli is a large, white radish but now there’s a new definition of the word. According to two young entrepreneurs, it means warm, flavoursome fillings, zesty salsa, vibrant chutneys and crunchy salad, all rolled in a fresh, homemade roti. That’s a pretty fair description of what they’re turning out on the site of defunct Soho Italian cafe Piada, and it could just be a tweak on fast food that’s destined to go big.

The Venue
This is a clean, modern, minimal, white space with counters at the window and around the walls, and a couple of marble-topped tables with primary-coloured chairs in the centre. There’s a rear counter with a pass to the chefs working beyond, and the short menu is illuminated and displayed above and behind the servers’ heads, so no one can be in any doubt that they’ve entered a 21st-century fast food joint.

The Atmosphere
At lunchtime, it’s all systems go with a steady stream of takeaway trade. At night, the venue becomes almost becomes clubby; despite opening only recently, there already seem to be many regulars whom the staff greet by name or with a cheery joke. You’d certainly be more inclined to linger here than at most fast food outlets.

The Food
The menu is simplicity itself. To get the ball rolling, for a mere £1, you can nibble on an envelope of (deliberately) broken up roasted poppadoms (nothing is fried here) with a mini tub of either sweet tomato or hot green chutney or a cumin-infused raita (be brave and tackle the explosive but yummy green chutney). After that, it’s just a matter of choosing your Indian wrap, or mooli, of which there are five, all available full-sized or as minis or, for dieters or those who are merely peckish, without the roti as a salad in a box. For eat-in customers, groovy, squarish, boldly-coloured, melamine plates are provided with the wrapped wraps.

Chicken (mooli £3.95, mini mooli £2.50, salad £4.25) features warm, gently spiced meat, crunchy apple and a fresh, minty chutney. In the asparagus variety (£3.50/£2.25/£3.75), crunchy asparagus contrasts winningly with soft potato. There’s a good tang of tamarind in the creamy sauce and a backbeat of heat. The paneer mooli (£3.75/£2.35/£4.00) features grated, rather than cubed, cheese, crunchy grated carrot and sweet, subtle blobs of tomato chutney. The meat in the beef variety (£3.95/£2.50/£4.25) is meltingly tender and fat- and gristle-free – along with the chicken variety, it’s the current best-seller. With its crunchy salad and slight sweetness, it’s a distant cousin of everyone’s Chinese favourite, the crispy duck pancake. Pork mooli (£3.95/£2.50/£4.25) is perhaps the most interesting of all, not to mention the spiciest. The meat is slow-cooked for a minimum of four hours and effectively shreds itself. The chilli heat is balanced by a refreshing, unusual pomegranate salsa.

This is not authentic Indian street food – no vendor in Kolkata or Delhi is going to use asparagus or combine pork with pomegranates – but then, it doesn’t profess to be, and what’s wrong with fusion as long as it works? The bread throughout is exemplary.

For Indian ice cream lovers, there are three kulfis – mango, pistachio or malai which is not unlike vanilla – on sticks. The pistachio doesn’t have a pronounced nut flavour but the gorgeous fudginess of boiled condensed milk is apparent. Cardamom, rose water or mango cheeky puds are akin to set yoghurt, panna cotta or the Indian yoghurty pud, shrikhand. A dark chocolate brownie with raspberry is outstanding with just the right amount of crust, a gooey, deeply chocolaty middle and fresh raspberry puree with the seeds (wisely) left in. There’s a white chocolate alternative with berries. All puds are an eminently reasonable £2.

The Drink
There’s an international trio of bottled beers, all at £3.20; Asahi from Japan, Indian Kingfisher and the less common, smooth and refreshing Negro Modello from Mexico. Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, merlot and Rioja are £3.85 a glass, £15 a bottle. Adventurous cocktail lovers might risk a guava, lychee or orange mojito at £4.50 a glass or £15 for a jug.

There’s fresh orange juice at £2 a cup or, for the same price, lime and mint juice served the Indian way with a pinch of volcanic black salt. The smell and taste can be euphemistically described as sulphurous; it’s certainly a challenge to the uninitiated, Western palate. Staff happily offer a salt-free alternative to those for whom it’s an adventure too far. Mango lassi with a hint of ginger is a creamy, soothing, £2 cupful, whilst branded soft drinks (Coca Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Limonata) are a very reasonable £1.

The Last Word
Soho is awash with places to get a fast snack but Mooli’s has the potential to survive and prosper with its simple menu of different – but not too different - delights. Portions are generous, ingredients are fresh and spicing is assured. Service is friendly and the premises are clean and convivial. This place has heart. Maybe, just maybe, one day every high street will have a branch. Meanwhile, there’s an excellent lunchtime deal of poppadom, full-size mooli and soft drink for a fiver so, if cold, supermarket wraps are failing to spice up your midday break, take a walk down Frith Street.

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